Washboard



(No ModeL) Q ROWN. WASHBOARD,

No. 594,168. Patented Nov. 23,1897.

I I'l l 3% 5 a l 18 NTT'ED STATES PATENT FFICE.

LEWIS 0. BROWN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

WASHBOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,168, dated November 23, 1897. Application filed February 11, 1897. Serial No. 622,889- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEWIS 0. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new, useful, and valuable Improvement in Washboards, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention has relation to metallic washboards; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of its parts, as hereinafter described.

The object of my invention is to provide a washboard with two rubbing-surfaces, the uprights supporting said surfaces being made of sheet metal and securely holding the surfaces.

The further object of the invention is to provide the upper part of the washboard with a shifting plate, said plate adapted to form a soap-rest on either side of the board.

The further object of the invention is to provide a washboard which will not rust or rot and which is simple in construction, and having its parts firmly locked together.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front plan view of the washboard, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View of the washboard cut on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of a section of the washboard cut on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of a section of the washboard cut on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a strip used in the washboard. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the head-piece. Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview of a partition used in the washboard, and Fig. 8 is a perspective View of one of the uprights of the washboard.

The uprights l 1 are made of sheet metal. Each longitudinal edge of each upright is provided with a curl 2, the extreme inner end of the curl terminating in an inwardly-extending section 3, said section extending generally toward the center of the curl, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The uprights 1 1 converge from the top toward the bottom, and at their lower ends they are provided with the ferrules 4 4, said ferrules being of any desired shape. At their upper ends each upright 1 is provided with a protrusion 5. (See Fig. 8.) The head-piece 6 of the washboard connects the upper ends of the uprights 1 1. Said headpiece is provided at each end with aperforation 7, (see Fig. 6,) said perforations adapted to receive the protrusions 5. The protrusions are then bent over and clenched against the upper surfaces of the head-piece 6 and are secured by solder or any other suitable means, as shown in Fig. 1. I

The longitudinal edges of the head-piece 6 are curled, as shown in Fig. 6. Said curls tend to strengthen the head-piece and also provide a suitable gripping-surface for handling the board. When the the head-piece is in position, the upper ends of the'uprights 1 pass between the curls of the head-piece 6, as shown in Fig. 2.

A partition 8 is provided 011 each side with a rubbing-surface 9 9, said rubbing-surfaces being of difierent roughness. The partition 8 preferably converges from its upper edge toward its lower edge, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower edges of the rubbing-surfaces 9 9 are held together by a cross-strip 10, said cross-strip having at each end a protrusion 11, which passes through registering perforations in the uprights 1 1, and then said protrusions 11 are bent and clenched against the outer sides of the uprights 1 l and are then secured by solder or any other suitable means, as shown in Fig. 1.

The upper edges of the rubbing-surfaces 9 9 are connected by the cross-strip 12, said cross-strip having at each end a protrusion 13, said protrusions adapted to pass through registering perforations in theuprights 1 1. The said protrusions 13 are then bent and clenched against the outer sides of the uprights 1 1 and are then secured by solder or any other suitable means, as shown in Fig. 1.

The metallic strips 14 are provided at their longitudinal edges with the inwardly-inclined sections 15 15. Said strips 14 are adapted to he slipped down within the curls 2 2 of the uprights 1, the lower ends of the stripscoming in contact with the cross-strip 12 and the inwardly-inclined sections 15 15 interlocking with the sections 3 3 of the uprights 1 1.' The upper ends of the strips 14 14 do not reach the lower surface of the cross-piece 6, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus a slight space is left between the upper ends of the pieces 14 14 and the lower surface of the head-piece 6.

. drain the water from the soap.

The partition 16 is provided at its upper edge with a wire 17, the upper edge of the partition 16 being curled about the wire. The ends of the wire extend beyond the ends of the partition, as shown in Fig. 7. The lower edge of the partition 16 is also curled, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. Vhen the partition 16 is in position, the extreme ends of the wire 17 enter the spaces between the upper ends of the pieces 14. 14. and the lower surfaces of the headpiece 6. The ends of the partition 16 come in close contact with the perpendicular sides of the pieces 14: 14:, (see Fig. 1,) and there is sufficient frictional contact between the sides of the pieces 14 and the ends of the partition 16 to hold the latter in its proper position. There is a slight opening, as at 18, (see Fig. 2,) between the lower edge of the partition 10 and the upper surface of the cross-piece 12. Said opening is adapted to The soap is adapted to rest upon the upper surface of the strip 12 and upon the partition 16. The strip 16 is confined laterally by the curls 2 2 of the uprights 1 1.

hen one side of the board is being used, the partition is pushed back. Thus the crosspieec 12 makes a ledge for the soap. \Vhen the opposite side of the board is used, the partition is pushed back and again the crosspiece 12 forms a soap-ledge.

\Vith the exception of the rubbin g-surfaces 9 9 all of the metallic parts of the washboard are made of galvanized metal, and thus the said parts cannot rust or injure the clothes.

The rubbing-surfaces 9 9 are preferably made of zinc. The partition 8 is preferably made of wood, butit will be seen that the said partition is entirely inclosed all around, and it is practically impossible for the moisture to get to the same. Therefore the said partition will not rot.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a washboard consisting of sheet-metal uprights, longitudinal edges of said uprights being curled, said uprights supporting a rubbing-surface between the curls, strips having inwardly-inclined sections adapted to engage the inner ends of the curls, and thereby hold the curls together, said strips being located at the upper ends of the uprights.

2. In a washboard consisting of sheet-metal uprights, the longitudinal edges of said uprights being curled, a rubbing-surface supported between the curls of said uprights, strips having inwardly-inclined edges eonnectin g the inner edges of the curls, said strips being located above the rubbing-surface, a shifting partition located above the rubbingsurface, said shifting partition being sup ported at its upper edge by the upper ends of the strips.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS 0. BROWN.

W'itnesses:

LIzzIn SHOUP, H. R. MENsINo. 

